Climbing into bed late at night

The dormitory was too quiet, so quiet that Gu Yingshen was not used to it. Moreover... he subconsciously touched his stomach, thinking about the hot and delicious breakfast he would be able to have tomorrow morning. Compared to the soy milk and bread he usually ate casually, going back didn't seem so hard to accept.

Lu Zhian eventually returned to the villa.

Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin were genuinely surprised that he would return on his own. When they heard the slight noise at the door, they exchanged a glance, both somewhat taken aback, but the tension that had gripped them all afternoon seemed to ease slightly because of this unexpected return.

Lu Zhian took a shower in his room and changed into comfortable pajamas. He originally planned to go straight to sleep, but as he lay in bed, scenes from the day kept replaying in his mind.

Gu Yingshen's calm yet astonishing words contrasted sharply with Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin's almost tangible wariness and hostility.

Gu Yingshen clearly gives off a distant or even dangerous vibe, but after spending time with him, he strangely doesn't feel afraid; instead, he feels a strange sense of trust.

This conflicting feeling made him feel like he was being gently scratched by a cat's paw. After hesitating for a long time, he quietly got up, barefoot, like a thieving kitten, and stealthily opened Xiao Yuan's door.

Xiao Yuan was clearly not asleep. In the darkness, he felt a small creature smelling of grapefruit creep up his bed. He naturally reached out and pulled the creature into his arms.

Lu Zhian found a comfortable position in his arms and lay quietly for a while, seemingly considering his words. After a long while, he spoke softly, with a hint of confusion, "I feel... Gu Yingshen is a really good person, so why are you all so wary of him?"

Xiao Yuan's arm tightened almost imperceptibly for a moment. That afternoon, after Gu Yingshen dropped that bombshell about memories, he and Xiao Jin reached a consensus.

They would respect whatever choice Lu Zhian ultimately made. But they hadn't expected that Lu Zhian would ask about Gu Yingshen so directly that night.

He didn't answer immediately, but instead gently rested his chin on the top of Lu Zhian's head, inhaling the faint fragrance in his hair.

Silence spread through the darkness, and just when Lu Zhian thought he wouldn't answer, Xiao Yuan's deep voice sounded above him:

“You actually know him.” He chose to be honest, but carefully chose his words. “The part of your memory that you’ve lost can be found with him.” He paused, feeling the person in his arms stiffen slightly, before continuing in that emotionless tone, “Do you want to go?”

Lu Zhian looked up. "Then...did I know you guys before?"

“Yes.” Xiao Yuan’s answer was brief and affirmative.

Lu Zhian processed this information, his heart pounding. He continued, his voice even softer, "Then what happened back then..."

Xiao Yuan knew what he wanted to ask: "No. I didn't have time." He tightened his arms, pressing the man deeper into his embrace, as if to confirm his presence, "You just disappeared."

Lu Zhian was stunned.

He has been an orphan since he can remember. He worked hard to get into university and then pursued a master's degree. He stumbled along the way and was all alone.

If Xiao Yuan's statement is true, nearly five or six years have passed since he "disappeared"... Watching the person you like disappear for six years? Moreover, judging from Xiao Yuan's words, he already... liked him before he "disappeared"? And then this feeling lasted for six years after his disappearance?

He was momentarily at a loss for how to react, only feeling a tightness in his throat and a stinging sensation in his nose.

In the darkness, the two fell into a long silence. The only sound was their soft breathing.

After a long while, a very soft question came, the voice devoid of its usual coldness and control, leaving only an almost fragile uncertainty:

"After you remember... will you still like me?"

No response was received.

Xiao Yuan sighed silently in the darkness, tightened his arms, and pulled the sleeping person even closer into his embrace. The answer was unknown, but at least for this moment, he was still in his arms.